Days after a US warship sailed by contested islands in the South
China Sea, Beijing conducted training for its naval jets in the same
area. The armed aircraft flew from China’s recently constructed island
airstrip.

Last Tuesday, the USS
Lassen passed through a 12-mile limit around Subi Reef in the Spratly
Islands archipelago. The reef is one of seven that China has
artificially reinforced to support its claim on the archipelago and the
sea around it.

The area is believed to be rich in mineral
resources, has fishing grounds and commands a position over several busy
trade routes. The US rejects the claim and insists that the warship
sailed through international waters.

In an apparent response to
the American move, Beijing sent armed fighter jets for a training
exercise in the area. On Saturday, the Chinese Navy released photos of
the aircraft being launched from an airstrip in the South China Sea.

According
to some military experts the unidentified airstrip is located on Woody
Island in the
Paracels nearly 300km off the coast of Hainan and about
600km from the controversial reef.

"Both the defense ministry
and foreign ministry have said China would have answers when its sea
rights were breached. Such statements need to be followed by real
actions," retired Chinese General Xu Guangyu commented on Beijing’s move.

"It's
a signal China sent to the US that it is serious about its claims. This
is the minimum level of response China should have, or it will fail the
expectation of its people," the South China Morning Post cited him as saying.

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Beijing protested the USS Lassen mission in the South China Sea, accusing the US of escalating tensions in the region.

"The
actions of the US warship have threatened China's sovereignty and
security interests, jeopardized the safety of personnel and facilities
on the reefs, and damaged regional peace and stability,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

The US shrugged off the criticism, saying it would sail and fly wherever it wants in the international space.

“The US has conducted naval operations in the South China Sea in recent days and will conduct similar operations in the future,” US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said.

In
addition to China, several nations in the region claim sovereignty over
the Spratly Islands, including Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Taiwan and Vietnam. The US contests China’s claim as part of its support
of regional allies such as Japan and South Korea, which also have
territorial disputes with China.